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Mrs. B.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

I always liked to dance and to watch dance performances. And flamenco is a style that always captured my heart. The passion, energy, sensuality and emotion that overflow from the dancers' feet make me want to get up and start spinning around with them every time I watch a good performance.

My absolutely favorite flamenco dancer/choreographer is Antonio Gades. I became a huge fan in my early teen years, when I first watched him in the wonderful movie Blood Wedding. I had the pleasure of seeing him and his Company, many years ago, dancing at a stage built on Ipanema beach, under a beautiful full moon. Talk about magic, it was amazing! Gades is one of those dance professionals who puts his soul in every step, and you go along with him.

Talking about Antonio Gades naturally leads to talking about the Spanish director Carlos Saura. He has an extensive list of great movies (Cria Cuervos is one of my favorites), and during the 80s he created a fantastic musical trilogy starring Gades: Blood Wedding (based on Garcia Lorca's story, to drool at), Carmen and El Amor Brujo/A Love Bewitched. All the choreographies are intense and gorgeous, and Gades, of course, is a hot shining star who takes the audience's breath away with his performance. Cristina Hoyos - an equally hot, super talented icon in flamenco dance - was his partner in the trilogy (although in Carmen she doesn't play the main character). Three beautifully dramatic movies about love, loss and death in a passionate latin way that those who love musicals will appreciate.

And of course, flamenco is Paco de Lucia. His furious guitar became a legend and he broke the barriers as a guitar player, acclaimed not only by flamenco lovers, but also by other non-flamenco guitar legends like Eric Clapton and Eddie Van Halen. His powerful style is a delight to listen to, when I'm in the right mood for it... like right now. ;)